


The Weaving of the Wheel

by Don_M



Category: Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cuddling & Snuggling, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:55:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28473531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Don_M/pseuds/Don_M
Summary: After the bubbles of evil effect Mat, he is ready to leave Tear for good, but he is convinced to stay thanks to an old friend.
Relationships: Rand al'Thor/Mat Cauthon
Comments: 5
Kudos: 12





	The Weaving of the Wheel

If Mat was being honest with himself, it was going to be hard to look at playing cards the same way again. After Thom had calmed him down and convinced him to at least stay the night in Tear and not immediately leave, they had wrapped up their last game and Thom had retired to his bed. 

Mat was left fiddling with his thumbs, dice rolling in his head, as the fire cracked beside him, spewing embers up the chimney. If something this strange happened to him, no doubt it happened to Rand and Perrin too. His mind wandered to the red haired boy he grew up with. The boy that seemed to have faded from the man he saw in front of him. The funny, goofy, giggly boy that he new so well, pulled so many pranks with back home in Emond's Field, gone. Rand now only felt like someone struggling to fit into his role in the world. Mat couldn't be mad at him either. Being Ta'veren was horrible enough, but one of his best friends was THE Dragon Reborn. The chosen one. He could channel. And he would go insane. That was a fact. 

But Mat couldn't shake him from his mind, the dice rolled. He decided, sitting in that chair, that he would visit Rand before he left Tear for good. Damn the pattern, he would make his own. 

In the morning he woke with a crick in his neck and a silent mind, if the crick in his neck was all he had to mind today he would be grateful. 

His feet guided him to Rands chambers, Elayne, Egwene, and Nynaeve all leaving the room seemingly annoyed. 

"Good luck Mat, we're the fourth of the people he's kicked out of his chambers today." Nynaeve said as the three women passed him through the hall. "You'll be lucky if the maidens even let you in."

Mat scoffed and rolled his eyes, passing the three women and found himself standing in front of the maidens that guarded Rands door. 

After a period of silence and staring, he spoke. "Tell Rand that Mat wants to see him."

The maidens flashed their hands and one of them chuckled, and they pulled the door open to speak to Rand. Mat felt his mind churning over what he would do if Rand refused to see him. Would he have to just turn and leave? Light! He could never do that! He shouldn't even have to ask to come in at all! The maiden returned, gesturing her arm at the room and he breathed a sigh of relief. He walked in. 

"Mat." Rand said from his bed, he was donned in a shirt with its laces loose, Mat could see a bandage around his middle peeking through. Adding to that, Rands body was littered with puffy red cuts. Mat could have sworn there were hundreds of them. On his face, arms, legs, neck... everywhere. Accompanied with the empty mirrors decorating the room, Mat could only guess what occurred. 

"Light what happened to you?" Mat asked, standing at the foot of the bed, not knowing if it was okay to sit next to him. 

"I'd rather not speak of what happened here last night."

"I had a pretty odd experience myself, I got assaulted by playing cards." Rand cracked a small smile, and as terrifying as that ordeal had been, Mat decided that if it put even the faintest smile on his friends face from it absurdity, that it had been worth it. 

"Hopefully that cures your gambling problem." Rand shot back. Mat couldn't help but laugh. This was his friend, so he was still in there. 

"Thom convinced me to stay." He said suddenly. 

"Stay?"

"I was going to leave in haste after that happened last night." Mat admitted. "I guess the pattern decided that I should stay here, at least for now." 

"Well I am glad of it." Rand nudged the boy. "Whether it was the pattern or not that led you to stay."

"I guess I'm glad of it too." Mat looked him over. "I hadn't been told you were wounded so badly." 

"Moraine saved me, I might not have survived the night without her." Rand stared blankly to the floor. 

"Rand..." Mat was never good at these things. He was the friend that helps with his humor and pranks, but he was older. He couldn't deflect in this situation. Instead he scooted closer to his taller red haired friend. Rand rested his head on Mats shoulder. Mat stiffened at the touch, but relaxed a moment later. "I wish we were back home."

"I don't suppose we could ever go back there can we?" Rand spoke. 

"We may Rand, we may." Mat put an arm around his shoulders. 

"I'm scared Mat." Rand said. "I think I'm going mad."

"I'm scared too." Mat returns. "I've been having these chunks of time that are completely missing from my mind. I've spoken in old tongue. I don't know what's happening to me." 

Rand stayed silent, but slightly nodded his head to acknowledge that he heard and understood. 

"I should let you rest." Mat stood, smoothing his clothes down. "You had a long night and probably need sleep." Mat walked away despite everything in his body telling him to stay. But he didn't have to. A hand grabbed his and haulted him in his steps. 

"Please don't leave." Rand said from behind him. "I don't... I want someone with me. Someone that I trust." 

"Why don't you get-" Mat started but was cut off. 

"They aren't you." Rand was standing in front of him now, and looking up into his grey eyes Mat nearly went dizzy. "Light, Mat I've always... I've always cared about you."

"Cared? We have been friends since childhood; that's what we do."

Rand was about ready to box Mat's ears "No. Bloody ashes Mat I'm trying to say I care for you! Care for you like I was expected to care for Egwene back home! I'm trying to say that it hurts me to know you even thought of leaving when all I want is to be next to you."

"Light, Rand..." Mat gaped. "You mean it? You're not poking fun?"

"No." Rand let his hand fall, and stilled his face. "I'm guessing by your face I have overstepped my bounds, you may leave." He moved back to his bed. 

Mat moved to his side. "I don't want to leave." He gently placed his palm on Rands cheek. 

Mat couldn't even ask to kiss him before Rand crashed their lips together in a frenzy, pulling Mat onto the bed on top of him. 

Rands hands flung the coat from his body, unlacing his shirt next and pulling it over Mats head. His warm hands traced Mats torso, ending stationed on his back. Mat decided they were more than warm, they were scorching. 

Next thing Mat knew, he was being tipped over so Rand could get on top of him. Mat couldn't help but smile; it did help that this was the first time he'd seen real emotion from his friend er- well, his lover? Didn't matter. The toothy, teasing grin on Rands face as he straddled Mat made him feel like his insides were melting, in a very, very good way. 

Rands shirt was lifted from his shoulders, and Mat couldn't believe what he was seeing. The light of the morning shining in behind Rand, shining on his red hair and his scarred skin everywhere except the bandage around his belly. The man on top of him bent down and nuzzled his face in Mats neck, kissing his skin softly. 

"Will you have me?" Rand asks softly. 

"With all my heart." Mat responded, bringing Rand closer to him, if that was even possible. 

——

Had they wasted the day in the eyes of everyone who wished they had been productive? Yes. Had they been productive in their own right? Yes. 

Mat was facing Rand, who seemed to be getting the best sleep of his life by how hard he was breathing, and was slowly running his hands through his red hair. 

Rands eyes fluttered open, he gave a quick kiss to Mat. "You're still sweaty."

"You are too."

"Should I call the maidens to bring a tub?" Rand joked, but Mat's face fell. "What?"

"Blood and bloody ashes!" Mat hissed. "You don't think they've heard do you?" 

"They've heard much worse from this room." Rand smirked. 

"Burn you, you dork." Mat nudged him, but then pulled him closer. "Maybe we are wool headed fools for taking this long."

"We got there in the end." Rand brought himself closer to Mat. "That's what matters."

"Yeah." Mat wrapped his arm around him, closing his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Random little fanfic for New Years! Sorry if there’s inaccuracies, it’s been a year since I’ve read this book haha!


End file.
